7. Raptors: GM Bryan Colangelo made perhaps the most underrated move of the offseason, acquiring five-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal from the Pacers for T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic. If O'Neal is recovered from his knee problems, he should join with Chris Bosh to give the Raptors one of the best frontcourts in the East. Colangelo also re-signed Jose Calderon and brought in Croatian star Roko Ukic to replace Ford as backup point guard. The Raptors still need Andrea Bargnani to live up to his billing as a No. 1 overall pick, but Toronto definitely will be a team to watch next season

Think he puts us a little low.

Major

08-13-2008 03:57 PM

7??? Seriously??

What about all those other reviews that rank us like 3rd and 4th etc..?

Snooch

08-13-2008 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major
(Post 49877)

7??? Seriously??

What about all those other reviews that rank us like 3rd and 4th etc..?

Yeah I know, he says that we made one of the bettter offseason moves and then ranks us 7.

But then again it is Marty Burns.......

Ugo Ferst

08-13-2008 04:06 PM

this dude is ke T-Pain, he's just keeping it reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal. uh huh

Gurk

08-13-2008 06:59 PM

I hate the people that right the SI they always put Toronto so low

n30tokyo

08-13-2008 07:23 PM

I guess it's a good thing I never read any SI issue before. =) I'd say the Raps would come in at 4-6 seed. Just my prediction..

ClingRap

08-13-2008 07:40 PM

i especially like how in the article, burns emphasizes O'Neal's health, but simply glosses over Brand's coming back from knee surgery. what a jackass.

jeffb

08-13-2008 08:22 PM

Wizards 5th?

Raptors 7th?

Pistons 6th?

I think he's way off on these three predictions.

beastie_dan

08-13-2008 11:47 PM

I honestly could see the Raptors finish anywhere between 2-8. Anything can happen.

Ugo Ferst

08-14-2008 12:11 AM

WARNING "MIDNIGHT TOKER POST"

Yes, i probably came across to pessimestic, but alas, that is my nature :P

I could see a world with the Raptors getting from 2-4 seed, if some bounces went our way, but i wouldnt be shocked at all if we struggled to make the PO's either. Two years ago, i really think the bounces went our way and we won our division, we were stellar at home and won so many close games it was crazy. No reason that cant happen again, when we are hot shooting , even in last years medicore season, we were almost unbeatable, when the three was dropping etc.

But my natural inclination (and im probably being harsh on a young team and a young captain) is to see how many times we didnt come up big in clutch games, we seemed to get outcoached and out hustled and theres no excuse for that. Its all on JO, if he can come up big and be 80% of what he was as an allstar, it will be so huge. Most of all he needs to change our backdown, always say die, attitude and install some pride in defense (a team that always thinks D first is a team that wins a championship, alot of it is coaching and player commitment), and i dont think its an easy task, we have alot of players that are either medicore to poor defenders, he needs to come in and in one year whip some ass and make a lockerroom where you get stepped up to and spoken to if you arent hauling ass, because i really dont believe Bosh as our "leader" ever did in a real big way, where players are somewhat scared and respect him, so they dont even think about going half ass.

A heavy task for JO, perhaps he will step up and make us all very happy!!!

souternmost raptors fan

08-14-2008 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffb
(Post 49942)

Wizards 5th?

Raptors 7th?

Pistons 6th?

I think he's way off on these three predictions.

Yes definitely. I could see us coming in 7th, but only if we had major injuries and/or we underachieve and everyone else overachieves. And the Pistons in 6th? Really?

He also put Cleveland in 2nd (without Mo Williams), the Pacers 8th, and the Bulls 13th. There is just soooo much wrong with these rankings.

Gurk

08-14-2008 10:28 AM

Ugo I agree with what you are saying that if JO can be healthy the Raps will do good and if he isn't healthy then the raps don't do good.

BballWatcher

08-14-2008 07:24 PM

It's always a dumb idea to annoint teams prematurely.

You can make a case for Philly being up there - after all they did win 40 games last year without Brand. But then again, they were like the Raptors a season before - completely under the wire and off teams' radar screens. While they gain a low post threat in Brand (and make no mistake, he will be huge), they will have to cut the minutes of Reggie Evans, and his absurd rebounding rate (7.5 boards in 22 minutes!) will be missed.

They have a solid team though and a good mix - solid starting PG in Dre Miller, great stud in recently overpaid Iguodala, solid defensive centre in Sammy D and now low post threat in Brand, great young bench players in Thad Young and Louis Williams.
------------

But for F's sakes, have we not learned anything yet about the Wizards? They play no D! (Caron Butler aside) They lost their spark plug! (Roger Mason) They have one of the worst front courts in the NBA!

Also, last I checked, the Pistons still have Chauncey, Rip, Rasheed, Tay Prince, McDyess, Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiel!!!!! Plus they even have solid bench warmers with Kwame (overpaid at $4M a season), Hermann, Amir Johnson, and Cheick Samb.

Gurk

08-14-2008 10:18 PM

Who's Cheick Samb? Never heard of him

Colony

08-16-2008 05:08 AM

I'm thinking the Raps are going to come in fourth, as long as JO's healthy and as hungry as he was in his top years (I'm optimistic about both points -I trust BC's judgment) and guys like Kapono and Bargnani are ready to live up t their potential. I'm thinking the Raps' locker room is going to be stronger now too.

That Pistons ranking is definitely not right.

Gurk

08-16-2008 11:30 AM

I could care less which place they come in as long as they win a playoff series but obviously it is better to be a higher seed to win a playoff series

Apollo

08-16-2008 12:59 PM

The American media always snipes the Raptors and if they rise above their predictions they right them off as "over achievers"...Which also allows them to snipe them the next year.

BballWatcher

08-16-2008 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gurkang
(Post 50267)

Who's Cheick Samb? Never heard of him

A 7'1 very young centre who's got potential, much like Amir Johnson, a 6'9 very young athletic PF.

Apollo

08-16-2008 01:36 PM

The Wiz are going to surprise people this season. Just a thought I had...Last year they were plagued with injuries.